Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-05-27
r1NsLEY 8 MORTON. proprietors.
FRIDAY MORNING. MAY. 27, 1887
WHAT NEXT?


lative JOINT commission has been disband-
ed, and the English Commissioners have
gone home. The bondhelders-if the bond
holders were indeed represented to any
large extent by the English Commission
ers, matter which we must confess still
remains In much doubt in our minds
have refused the best offer that they are
ever likely to have from Virginia legis-
lature and the situation is set back to the
old status. The question naturally comes
up. What nextp Well. there is nothing
that we know of, and no new situation to
be faced. Coming down to the dollars
and cents view of Virginia's position, she
Is not whit worse nor better off, save in
one respect-she has shown the world that
she will not repudiate the principal of her
bonds. and made an offer to the creditors,
that would have pushed her to the throat
latch, to pay every dollar of the interest
she was able to pay. In our own opinion,
the refusal of the Eng lish Commissioners
to accept the offered interest of $7O3,OOO
did not affect the question much !;
for that amount never would have been
paid, and the first year, experience in at
tempting its payment, would have shown
our inability and brought on the old chao-
tic empty treasury period of 1879.
One other thing this attempted settle
ment has accomplished for Virginia; it has
settled the position Of those who would
pay in coupons. They can no longer give
as an excuse that they want to bring
the matter to an issue. 1t has been brought
to an issue, and the issue is 1884 900 Of
interest every year-a sum which would
require ease e "a IA ttiieen~No and
"A man who tenders coupons is
Jndholder and against the State;
crease Of taxation and against
Die settlement; for the rich man
use coupons and against the poor
40 cannot; with the creditors and
s his fellow citizens. His plea that
pbeying the law will no longer serve
there Is no Federal law nor Federal
It decision, existing now Oh ever known,
commands, demands or even suggests
It Virginian shall pay his taxes in
apons-the coupon user is obeyi1aq the
adh0lders not the laws of his country.
md at the same time, he is disobeying the
avs of his State. There is no trouble
now. nor will the State Of Virginia ever
see days trouble if the tax payers settle
their taxes in money. The State is abso-
lutely safe if her people are only loyal. Her
schools, her government, her treasury are
all impregnable if her people are loyal.
The political history and result of the
negotiations should strongly reinforce the
position of the Democratic party with the
people. Its representatives in the legisla-
frank way; called the conference; patient
ly heard every offer; made proposition
OF magnitude that nothing but an earn
est desire for settlement could excuse,
and only surrendered before demands that
every man in Virginia knows called for In
creased taxes, something the popular vote
would never consent to. On the other
hand the Republican party in the legisla-
ture has exhibited an indecision and tim
idity that showed them quite unequal to
the task of settlement, and perfdy
which proved them unfit deposits Of pub
lie trust. When the vote was taken on
meeting the creditors representatives in
conference, there were 10 votes against it
In the Senate-all Republicans, and in
the House there were 6, also all members
Of the Republican party. The party was
demoralized by the responsibility of con-
ference presented to them, and either
showed such pitiable lack of back bone,
or exhibited such spirit of enmity to the
proposed conference that in any case they
were useless as aids to a settlement, even
If it was within the possibilities of the oc-
casion. Opposed to the conference; with
no better plan of its own to submit, and
with no solution for the States perpIexi-
ties, the carping minority presented sad
spectacle of weakness. The Democratic
members of the legislature have nothing
to fear on the hustings from comparison
Of the attitudes of the two political par
ties in the legislature towards settle
ment Of the debt. Such comparison
should be emphasized On every court green
next fall to show the people who 1t is that
wants the debt settled and who it is that
doesn't.